Inquest Told Soldier May Not Have Shot Herself

New scientific evidence shows a young female Army recruit found dead at a barracks more than 20 years ago may not have killed herself, an inquest has heard.

Alison Foster QC, representing the family of 18-year-old Cheryl James, said: "Now there is distinguished pathological evidence showing that the shot that killed Cheryl James may not have been self-inflicted.

"Third party involvement is more than merely speculative, according to this inquest's pathologist.

"It's important such evidence is fully acquired and assimilated."

She asked for the inquest to be delayed by a few weeks to allow "important" pathological evidence to be properly considered.

Private James died from a fatal gunshot wound on 27 November, 1995, at Deepcut Barracks in Surrey

The original inquest, in 1995, lasted only an hour and recorded an open verdict which was quashed last year by High Court judges who ordered a fresh inquest.

This new inquiry - at Woking Coroner's Court - will hear from 80 witnesses over a two-month period.

It will also hear evidence suggesting she may have been sexually abused by senior ranks shortly before her death.

Pte James was in the second phase of her training to join the Army when she was found with a single bullet wound between her nose and her right eye.

Her parents have always refused to accept the official version of her death and fought hard for two decades to have a proper inquest.

The family and their lawyers have protested that the investigation should not have been carried out by the Army and key witnesses were not interviewed.

Her clothing wasn't examined and some of it even went missing.

Her father, Des James, told Sky News earlier this month he just wanted "to get to the bottom of what happened, in every detail".

Four recruits died at Deepcut between 1995 and 2002, all in similar circumstances.

As well at Pte James, Privates Sean Benton, 20, James Collinson, 17, and Geoff Gray, 17, were found with gunshot wounds.